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Home / Equine Research Bank / Anim Cogn / Horses (Equus caballus) use human local enhancement cues and...
Animal cognition2010; 14(2); 187-201; doi: 10.1007/s10071-010-0352-7

Horses (Equus caballus) use human local enhancement cues and adjust to human attention.

Abstract: This study evaluates the horse (Equus caballus) use of human local enhancement cues and reaction to human attention when making feeding decisions. The superior performance of dogs in observing human states of attention suggests this ability evolved with domestication. However, some species show an improved ability to read human cues through socialization and training. We observed 60 horses approach a bucket with feed in a three-way object-choice task when confronted with (a) an unfamiliar or (b) a familiar person in 4 different situations: (1) squatting behind the bucket, facing the horse (2) standing behind the bucket, facing the horse (3) standing behind the bucket in a back-turned position, gazing away from the horse and (4) standing a few meters from the bucket in a distant, back-turned position, again gazing away from the horse. Additionally, postures 1 and 2 were tested both with the person looking permanently at the horse and with the person alternating their gaze between the horse and the bucket. When the person remained behind the correct bucket, it was chosen significantly above chance. However, when the test person was turned and distant from the buckets, the horses' performance deteriorated. In the turned person situations, the horses approached a familiar person and walked towards their focus of attention significantly more often than with an unfamiliar person. Additionally, in the squatting and standing person situations, some horses approached the person before approaching the correct bucket. This happened more with a familiar person. We therefore conclude that horses can use humans as a local enhancement cue independently of their body posture or gaze consistency when the persons remain close to the food source and that horses seem to orientate on the attention of familiar more than of unfamiliar persons. We suggest that socialization and training improve the ability of horses to read human cues.
© Springer-Verlag 2010
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Publication Date: 2010-09-16 PubMed ID: 20845052DOI: 10.1007/s10071-010-0352-7Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research paper explores how horses, specifically Equus caballus, use cues from humans for decision making related to feeding, and adjusts their behavior based on human attention. The researchers tested these aspects by introducing a familiar or unfamiliar person to the horses in different postures, positions, and gaze directions.

Methodology

  • The study consisted of observing 60 horses presented with a three-way object-choice task. This involved approach to a feed bucket while a person was in four varying situations.
  • The person could either be unfamiliar or familiar to the horse. The situations included squatting or standing behind the bucket and facing the horse, standing behind the bucket with one’s back turned, or standing a few meters away from the bucket with their back turned.
  • The first two postures were tested in two circumstances – the person continually looking at the horse, and the person alternating their gaze between the horse and the bucket.

Findings

  • It was observed that when the person remained near the correct bucket, horses chose it significantly more often than might be expected by random chance.
  • When the human test subject was distant from the buckets or had their back turned, the performance of the horses in selecting the correct bucket saw a decline.
  • In the case where the person’s back was turned away, horses preferred approaching a familiar person and followed their focus of attention more than they would for an unfamiliar person.
  • Interestingly, some horses in the squatting and standing situations approached the human before going to the correct bucket, especially if the person was familiar to them.

Conclusion

  • The research concludes that horses can use humans as a local enhancement cue, regardless of the body posture or gaze, as long as the person stays close to the food source.
  • The horses also showed a tendency to orientate more towards familiar people’s attention than that of strangers.
  • Finally, the study suggests that socialization and training improve the ability of horses to interpret human cues thereby influencing their decision making.

Cite This Article

APA
Krueger K, Flauger B, Farmer K, Maros K. (2010). Horses (Equus caballus) use human local enhancement cues and adjust to human attention. Anim Cogn, 14(2), 187-201. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-010-0352-7

Publication

Animal cognition
ISSN: 1435-9456
NlmUniqueID: 9814573
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 2
Pages: 187-201

Researcher Affiliations

Krueger, Konstanze
  • Department of Biology I, University of Regensburg, 93040, Regensburg, Germany. Konstanze.Krueger@biologie.uni-regensburg.de
Flauger, Birgit
    Farmer, Kate
      Maros, Katalin

        MeSH Terms

        • Animals
        • Attention
        • Choice Behavior
        • Cues
        • Female
        • Horses / psychology
        • Humans
        • Learning
        • Male
        • Recognition, Psychology

        Citations

        This article has been cited 28 times.
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